Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 844: To ask the Minister for Health the composition and all changes to the Interim Health Service Executive board since April 2011; the roles of those on the board within his Department or Health Service Executive; the corporate governance structure currently in place; when he expects HSE governance legislation to be passed; when he expects a new board to be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26268/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The interim HSE Board which I established in May 2011 was designed to facilitate greater coordination and integration and less duplication between the senior management teams in my Department and the HSE. The interim Board has provided a basis on which to make early progress on the health reform agenda, facilitating a greater unity of purpose. It also streamlines reporting relationships to ensure that decisions are implemented quickly and as a result, better services are delivered for patients with greater emphasis on service delivery. Table 1 below sets out the current composition of the interim Board, the roles of those on the Board within the Department and the HSE and all changes since it was established.

On 29 May, the Government approved the drafting of legislation to abolish the Board of the HSE and to provide for a Directorate to be the new governing body for the HSE in place of the Board. The intention is that the Bill will be drafted as a matter of urgency so that it can be considered by the Oireachtas as soon as possible. In tandem with the proposed new governance structures, new administrative structures will be put in place in the HSE, to reflect the need for a greater operational management focus on the delivery of key services and greater transparency about funding, service delivery and accountability.